Time-controlled circuit selector



March 19, 1940- A. J. SLUYTER TIME-CONTROLLED CIRCUIT SELECTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec.

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TIME-CONTROLLED CIRCUIT SELECTOR Filed Dec. 12, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A/T/h/ S/uyfe/ 'IIIIIIIIII III/IllIIIIIIIIIIIII/II/In Patented Mar. 19, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE 11 Claims.

My invention is for an improvement in timecontrolled circuit selectors, and more specifically pertains to a selector which will complete any desired one of a number of control circuits at a particular later time which has been previously selected. Such a selector may be used, for example, in an automatic tuning mechanism for radio receiving sets of the type wherein desired stations will be tuned in automatically at various later times, according to a program arrangement selected and for which the time-controlled circuit selector has been set. In such a case the circuit selected will correspond to a particular known tuned reception frequency of the radio receiving set, and its energization may operate to control any preferred type of circuit tuning mechanism such as the circuit of an electric motor driving a variable condenser.

My time-controlled circuit selector is also well adapted for use in call or signal systems, such as are employed in hotels and schools. For such adaptations the several circuits, of which a selected one or ones are to be completed at a desired time, would correspond to signal circuits in each of which a bell, light, or other signaling device would be incorporated. Various other uses for my circuit selector will also occur to those familiar with the art, for my device is suitable for utilization in any instaliation where it is desired to energize a selected one of a number of electrical circuits at a certain later time in the day.

In the clocks in general use the hour hand is driven through a complete revolution in a twelvehour period, or at a speed of two revolutions per day. In an automatic program selecting device for radio receiving sets, however, as well as in various types of signaling and call systems, it is often desired to set a program or call arrangement to be executed during the day and night, that is, through substantially a twenty-four-hour period, or at least throughout a period in excess of twelve hours in length. To accomplish such an operation it has been proposed heretofore to employ a so-called twenty-four-hour clock, or one in which the hour hand rotates one revolution in every twenty-four hours instead of once in every twelve hours. This would avoid having to reset the mechanism twice during a day. Such an expedient also eliminates the necessity of disturbing the afternoon and evening setting, for example, when it is desired to establish a morning setting, and vice versa. As a result, if the same setting is desired for several consecutive days, it 55' would be unnecessary to reset the mechanism at all. The objection to such a device is that the customary twelve-hour clock cannot be used as the timekeeping mechanism for the device; hence a special clock must be provided, and one which for time-indicating purposes is confusing to one accustomed to the use of a twelve-hour clock.

It is a principal purpose of my invention to device a mechanism which will have all the advantages of mechanism controlled by a twentyiour-hour clock, which may be set to cover a twenty-four hour period, but one which can be superimposed upon the familiar twelve-hour clock face and which may be controlled by timekeeping mechanism which rotates the hour hand once every twelve hours.

It is a further object to provide a device of this general type which is associated with automatic mechanism to change over from the morning or a. in. program to the afternoon and evening or p. in. program, and vice versa, automatically,

without attention on the part of the operator.

Still another object of my invention is to provide such a mechanism which will be of exceedingly compact character, and which will accommoclate a large number of circuits, from which the one to be closed at a particular time is selected.

Another object of my invention is to provide such a selector mechanism which may be arranged for operation over a complete twenty four-hour period, or which may at will be controlled to remain inoperative during a period in which no circuit is to be closed, such as, for example, between midnight and 6:00 a. m.

A further object is to provide check devices to indicate to the operator whether the mechanism is functioning properly, or in case the clock has stopped, whether, when the clock is set to the correct time and restarted, the mechanism is in condition to function on its proper a. m. or p. 111. program, and if not, manual controls are provided for controlling the mechanism to initiate proper operation.

It is also one of my objects to provide such a device which may be superimposed on a twelvehour clock without obscuring the clocks face or interfering with the functioning of the conventional clock hands which move thereover, and yet which will not extend radially outwardly from the clock to such an extent as to be Luisightly.

Other objects, and more particularly those which are inherent in the specific mechanism which I employ, will appear from a study of the following description when read in connection with the drawings.

My invention, more specifically, includes the construction, arrangement, and interrelation of the parts of my combination, as shown in the drawings and described in this specification, with particular attention to the cooperation of the energizing mechanism for the contact arms or hands and the circuit-closing device controlled by a twelve-hour time-keeping mechanism, to execute a switching operation over a period in excess of twelve hours, the novel features of which are more specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

While the drawings illustrate mechanism which is well adapted to effect my intended purpose, it will be understood that the aforementioned obj ects might be accomplished by mechanism incorporating certain changes over my device, especially in the switching mechanism, which might be made by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Figure l is a plan view of my device showing the connections to the various circuit-closing parts.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the circuitclosing mechanism, While Figure 3 is a section of a portion of such mechanism, taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 shows a connector employed with the circuit-closing mechanism.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the switching circuits and devices, and the checks 'and manual controls employed with the circuitclosing mechanism.

As has been pointed out, my device may be employed to effect automatic tuning of a radio receiving set, for incorporation in a call system, or for similar uses. Because of its capability of varied adaptations I have shown and shall describe my circuit selector without reference to any particularly controlled mechanism, but merely as embodying a plurality of control circuits which are adapted to include and. to control such mechanism. Any selected control circuit may be energized by a current source circuit having one end connected to the selector mechanism, and through it to such selected control circuit, and the other end connected to a common lead adapted to complete a circuit through the controlled mechanism and any of the control circuits. The mechanism to be controlled, such as a radio receiving set circuit-tuning drive mech anism or a call system, will, of course, be inserted between the common lead and the plurality of selectable control circuits.

T -e first requirement of my device is the provision of some type of time-keeping mechanism, which I have indicated as a conventional twelvehour clock mechanism, preferably of the electrically driven type, indicated generally by the numeral it], having the usual face l and minute hand lb. Surrounding the clock face which surmounts the time-keeping mechanism, is a ring I l in which are received the terminals of a number of control circuits 2, 2, 2", etc. Between these several control circuits and a common lead may be connected the control mechanism for tuning a radio receiving set or the call system. Thus these circuits 2, 2' and 2 may correspond each to a radio receiving set tuned reception frequency, or each may incorporate a signal bell, light, or similar device, to the other side of which the common lead is connected. The terminals of these control circuits on the ring it are provided with suitable terminals, preferably in the form of jacks 20, 2B, 28", etc. Any number of jacks desired may be employed for each control circuit, the number depending upon the number of times, in a twenty-four hour period, any given tuned reception frequency, or radio station, is likely to be required to be tuned in. Two such jacks disposed in a radial line are illustrated, and I shall describe later the manner in which these jacks are to be employed.

Driven by the hour arbor of the clock i9 is a double hour hand incorporating two contact arms 3 and 3 which are insulated from each other, and which are connected respectively to the a. 1n. hand and p. m. hand leads. Any suitable type of contact ring and brush may be employed to effect such contact. These contact arms or hands carried by the clock arbor to rotate once every twelve hours or two revolutions per day engage the segments of an a. m. and a p. m. contact ring, respectively. As stated, the a. in. hand lead is connected to the a. m. contact arm 3, which is shown as being the lower part of the hour hand, and this arm contacts the segments Ell of the lower or a. in. contact ring. Similarly the contact arm 3' to which the p. in. hand lead is connected contacts the segments 38' of the upper or p. in. contact ring. The minute hand H3 is not included in an electrical circuit.

Each of the segments 30 and 3E! corresponds to a fifteen minute interval, making in all fortyeight a. in. segments and forty-eight p. m. segments. While I have shown each of these as extending entirely across the space of movement accomplished by the hour hand in a fifteen-minute period, and the contact hand of a width to bridge two of these segments in passing from one fifteen-minute period to the next, it will be understood that for certain uses it may be desirable to employ only narrow or point contacts, for one or both of the segments or hands, so that while the hands make contact at fifteen minute intervals, the duration of such contact will be brief, or if contact is sustained for substantially a fifteen minute period the hand will leave one contact just before it engages the next. Thus in a call system, for example, the length of time that the hand is in contact with the segments may be only sufficient to sound a noticeable alarm. On the other hand, if the segments are formed as illustrated, namely, to be contacted throughout the entire period, any suitable cut-off mechanism may be included in the common lead to deenergize the signal or other control operation at the end of a certain time interval, or in the case of a radio receiving set, when the circuit-tuning device has been placed in the desired position, or, if desired, a manual switch may be employed to terminate the operation which has been initiated by the automatic time-controlled circuit selector. Such expedients are well known to the art, and will be governed by the particular type of apparatus in which my device is employed and the nature of the operation to be performed.

Preferably surrounding the contact segments are two concentric time rings of insulating material, one designated 3l, corresponding to a. In. time, the other Bl, corresponding to p. In. time. Each of these rings carries jacks, equal in number and connected respectively to the contact segments 30 and 39 of the contact rings. While it is preferred to employ such rings, at least for the p. m. contact segments til it will be evident that the jacks of the ring 3i might be incorporated directly in the outer ends of the radially extending segments 30. Thus each of the jacks in the rings 3! and 3| corresponds, respectively,

, cated by the clock face.

to a particular time of day, either in the a. m. twelve-hour period or in the p. m. twelve-hour period, and each jack is disposed adjacent to the particular time to which it corresponds, as indi- On the other hand, all the jacks 28, 2B, 2 etc. correspond, as stated, to the different control circuits. In order to energize a particular control circuit at a selected time it is merely necessary to interconnect the jack on the ring corresponding to such particular control circuit with the jack on the rings 3i or 3! corresponding to the desired selected time.

It may be desired to energize a particular control circuit at several times during a twenty-fotin hour period. For that reason I prefer that a special connector, such as shown in Figure l, be employed, in which one plug lead 2i may be connected with the particular desired control circuit, and several plug leads 22 may be connected one to each of the several time jacks corresponding to the times at which it is desired that the control circuit be energized. While I have shown four leads 22, any desired number may be provided. In order to prevent such a connector being unwieldly, however, I prefer that where a particular control circuit is to be energized a large number of times during the twenty-fourhour period, that the number of jacks 20, for example, for the control circuit be increased, so that several connectors may be used and several plug leads 2! may be plugged into several jacks of the particular control circuit. This is represented by the provision of two jacks 2r, etc.

'For each circuit plug, of course, there will be several time plugs 22 which may be inserted at will in the time ring jacks.

0n the other hand, if my device is used in a call or signal system, for example, it may be desirable to energize a number of the control cir' cuits 2, 2, 2", etc. at the same time. In such installation the connector may be reversed and the plug lead 2| plugged into a particular time jack while the plug leads 22 would be plugged into the several desired control circuit jacks. Again if it is desired to increase the number of control circuits which may be energized at a particular time, more than one jack for each particular time may be provided on the time rings 3| and 3|. Such variations, of course, would be obvious to one skilled in the art, and would not alter the principle upon which my device operates.

From the foregoing description it will be evident that during an a. in. time period, assuming the hand 3 to be energized, at any particular time one or more of the control circuits 2, 2', 2", etc., may be energized by making proper connections to the jack on the ring 3| which corresponds to that particular time. Similarly during a p. m. ime period, assuming the hand 3 to be energized, any selected control circuit or circuits may be energized at desired p. times by making proper connections to ring 3|. It is necessary, however, that provision be made to prevent energization of the p. m. hand 3' during an a. m. time period, and it is hkewise necessary to prevent energization of the a. m. hand 3 during a p. In. time period, so that the respective a. m. or p. In. time ring connections need not be disturbed during the opposite time period, and yet will not be energized during such period.

Moreover, it is necessary at the end of an a. In. time period, for example, that the connection to the a. m. hand 3 be broken, and simultaneously that the p. m. hand 3 be energized. For this purpose I provide additional contact points 32 and 33 connected respectively to the 11:59 a. m. and the 12:00 noon leads, and which contact points will be bridged by the a. m. hand 3 at its 12:00 oclock position. Similarly I provide contact points 32' and 33 connected respectively to the 11:59 p. m. and to the 12:00 midnight leads, and which will be bridged by the p. m. hand 3 when it is in its 12:00 oclock position. These various leads, as shown in Figure 5, are connected to suitable switching mechanism to eflect automatic change-over to deenergize one hand energize the other at the end of a twelvehour time period.

For the purpose of operating the switching mechanism and to supply power for operation of the radio receiving set control mechanism, a call system, or the like, I prefer to employ a transformer connected in a conventional 110-volt alternating current circuit. Such a transformer is illustrated diagrammatically in Figure 5, including a primary winding 4 and a secondary winding 40. Clock leads may be taken directly from the 110-vclt circuit for the purpose of driving the mechanism of the clock 19. A cut-out switch ll should be included in the circuit of the transformer primary winding, which may be thrown to prevent operation of the device when desired.

The switching mechanism consists primarily of four alternating current relays, two of which and 5 normally control respectively energize.- tion of the a. in. hand 3 and of the p. in. hand 3'. The other two relays 6 and 5' control temporary energization, respectively, of the a. m. hand 3 and of the p. in. hand 3, and also control respectively deenergization of the relays 5 and 5'.

In order to illustrate most readily the operation of the device a typical operation will be de scribed, such as that of energizing the a. in. hand 3, and later deenergizing it and simultaneously energizing the p. m. hand 3. In such description it may be kept in mind, however, that in general a similar operation of the p. in. hand could be carried out by reading the numbers of each part mentioned as having a prime aiiixed thereto, since in general a. in. parts have been referred to by the numbers without indices, and the numbers having a prime index refer to corresponding parts of the p. m. mechanism.

Let us assume that the clock is describing an a. in. rotation, but that up to the present time the switch it has been opened so that the automatic time-controlled mechanism has been inoperative. To start operation of the device the switch ii is first closed so that the secondary winding of the transformer will be energized, and in consequence, through the lead 42 the push button 5i will be energized. To energize the a. in. hand the a. m. push-button 5i is depressed, which completes a circuit through the relay 5 through its lead 58 which is connected to the push-button 52 by the wire 52, and back to the secondary winding 40 through the leads 15 and 3. Energization of the relay 5 by means of the push jack, a control circuit jack, the common lead, and

1 button 5| is released, the relay 5 is not thereby deenergized, but its lead 50 will remain in circuit with the lead 42 of the transformer secondary through the lead 54 and its armature, and the circuit 55 and its armature, as long as the relay 6 remains deenergized. A static condition has therefore been reached in which the relay 5 remains energized, and the a. in. hand likewise remains energized for completion of a circuit through the common lead upon proper interconnection through a time ring and selected control circuit. This condition obtains until the a. In. hand 3 contacts the point 32 which is connected to the 11:59 a. In. lead.

At the instant the hand contacts the point 32 a circuit is closed through the relay 5. One side of this relay is connected through its lead 25 to the terminal 43 of the transformer secondary. A connection to the other side of the relay is made to the transformerlead 42 by way of the lead.

54 and its armature, the wire 55 and its armature, the a. n1. hand 3, the 11:59 a. m. contact 32, the 11:59 a. In. lead, the wire 51 and its armature, and the other lead 52 of the relay 5. As the armature of lead 54 snaps over into contact with circuit 5?, the relay 6 is held energized by a circuit through 54 and its armature 5?, the a. In. hand lead, the a. in. hand 3, the 11:59 a. in. lead, wire 55 and its armature, and relay lead 52. Thus the relay 6 is self-holding, also.

It will be seen that movement of the circuit 54 armature, by energization of relay serves to break the circuits 54, 55 and 5d, 55, though now closing a new circuit 54, 51. Breaking of the first circuit 54, 55 deenergizes relay 5 by severing connection to its lead 58, and accordingly it releases the armatures in circuits 55 and 55. While the a. In. hand is no longer energized through circuit 56 because of the break of its armature and also because of the break of circuit 55, 55, this hand remains energized through operation of the relay 6 and armature 54 to make the circuit 54, 51, and this circuit Will be maintained as long as relay 6 remains energized.

As the clock continues its movement the a. in. hand 3, which is still energized, will be moved into contact with the point 33, connected to the noon or 12:00 In. lead. This hand, as it contacts the point 33, is still in engagement with the point 32 to maintain a circuit through the 11:59 a. m. lead and circuits iii, 52 to keep the relay 6 energized. Contact of the a. in. hand with the contact 33 will energize the p. m. relay 5 by reason of the connection of its lead 55' with the 12:00 In. lead and a. m. hand connection through the circuit 53' and its armature, controlled by relay 5, which latter has been deenergized for movement of such armature to circuit-closed position by operation of relay 5.

Energization of the relay 5 will have three principal efiectsfirst, it energizes the p. in. hand by closing the armature of circuit 58 which is in contact with the armature of lead 5 21' ex tending from one side of the transformer secondary winding; second, simultaneously with the energization of the p. In. hand the energization of the a. in. hand through the lead 5'! is terminated, by the breaking of the holding circuit of relay 6 at the armature of circuit Ell connected to the 11:59 a. in. lead, which is operated by energization of relay 5; third, not only is the p. m. hand 3 energized and the a. m. hand 3 deenergized, but the relay 5' is kept energized by closing of the armature in circuit 55' also effected by energization of the relay 5. The situation has thus been precisely reversed, the relay 5 and p. in. hand now being energized, and the other three relays being deenergized, whereas previously the a. in. hand had been energized by continued energization of the relay 5, and the other three relays 5', 6 and 6 had been deenergized.

If the clock should stop and it is desired to ascertain, after the clock has again been started and set, whether the proper hand is being energized, the switch 8 may be closed. This will complete a circuit through a contact M extending from the lead 43 of the transformer secondary, and through one of the signal lights and 80'. If the a. in. hand is energized a circuit will be completed from the light through to the other lead 42 of the transformer secondary, either through the lead 53', circuit 565 and its armature, and circuit 54, or directly through the lead 57 and circuit 54. The first path would normally be taken, but if the clock should be set or started with the a. in. hand in contact with the 11:59 a. in. lead, then the relay 5 would have been deenergized and the relay 5 would have been energized to energize the a. in. hand lead directly through circuits 54 and 51. On the other hand, if the p. m. hand is energized, the signal 85 would not be illuminated, but a circuit through 80' would be completed in a manner similar to that described for signal t5.

If it should be found that the wrong signal is energized according to the time period, it is merely necessary to press the correct button 5| or 5! to change over the mechanism. For example, if the p. in. hand is energized, and in reality the a. In. hand should be the one energized, the operator would merely press the button 5i and, as explained heretofore, a circuit through the relay 5 would be completed and the a. in. hand 3 would be energized. Also the p. in. hand would be deenergized simultaneously by completion of a circuit through connection 42, button 5!, and circuits 50' and to energize the relay 6 momentarily to break the self-holding circuit 55 of relay 5. Upon release of the button 5| the relay 6 would release, leaving the p. In. hand deenergized.

Moreover, the relay 5 would not remain energized even though the a. In. hand were in contact with the noon contact point 33, providing it were not also in contact with the 11:59 a. m. contact point 32, for energization of the relay 5 by the button 5! would break contact of the armature in the circuit 53 which is connected between the 12:00 In. lead and the lead 55' of the relay 5. When the relay has once released, of course, release of the button 5|, as stated, would instantly deenergize the relay 6 and hence the circuit through the p. in. hand. If no armature were provided in the circuit 53, however, release of the button 5! might not deenergize the p. m. hand, for the relay 5' would never have released since lead 50 would have remained energized through the circuit 53, lead 12:00 m., contact point 33, and the a. m. hand 3 which would then be energized. Both hands would therefore be energized until after the a. In. hand had left the contact point 33, and since the relay 5' had not by then been released it would remain energized in the normal way through its circuits 54' and 55. In such a case both a. m. and p. m. hands 75' would be energized, which would be undesirable, and hence an armature is provided in circuits 53 and 53 in order to prevent such a contingency.

In addition to providing the switch M to render the mechanism totally inoperative for an indetermine period I have also provided means for rendering the device inoperative for a predetermined period, which Ihave selected as between 12:00 midnight and 6:00 a. m. Obviously the mechanism to be explained might be adapted to render the timeecontrolled circuit selector inoperative for any other desired period according to the type of installation employed. In the particular embodiment illustrated contacts 34 and 35 are disposed for contact by the a. m. hand 3 at approximately 6:00 a. and these contacts are connected respectively to the 5:59 a. m. and to the 6:00 a. m. leads.

I have arranged the control for this inoperative period to be operated either to cut out the device during such period or to allow it to remain operative. While any desired type of switch may be employed, I have illustrated the control element as the switch plug 1!, which is engaged between a prong l contacting a point II and a prong l2 contacting a point 13. The plug 1 is of insulating material. The prong I0 is included in the 6:00 a. in. lead, and the contact point H is connected to the lead 53 as is the prong 12. The contact point 13 is included in the 12:00 midnight lead.

With the plug l in the position shown, the cutout mechanism will operate, since at 12:00 midnight no circuit is completed through the connection 53 for energization of the a. m. relay 5. The p. in. relay is nevertheless deenergized by energization of the relay 5 through the 11:59 p. in. lead. Of course, if the plug 7 were in the position wherein I2 and 13 made contact, the

' a. m. hand would be energized and the p. m. hand would be deenergized simultaneously as previously explained. In the position shown, however, the relay 5 would not operate, so that the p. to. hand would merely remain energized by the relay 5 until the p. m. hand had passed from contact with the 11:59 p. in. contact point 32', whereupon the relay 0 would be released and the p. in.

hand circuit 54, 5'." would be broken.

Since the a. m. hand had not been energized, the device would then remain inoperative until 5:59 a. m. At this point the a. m. hand 3 would engage the contact point 34, which is connected through the 5:59 a. in. lead directly to the lead 42 of the transformer secondary. As the hand 3 bridges across the contact points 34 and 35, the 6:00 a. m. lead would be energized through the hand from the contact point 34, 5:59 a. m. lead, and transformer lead 42. This would energize at 5:00 a. m. the relay 5, through the prong '10, contact point ll, circuit 53 and its armature, and lead The effect of this energization would close the armatures and circuits 55 and 55 and cause relay 5 to remain energized for energization of the a. in. hand 3 precisely as though the manual control button 51 had been pressed, as

been explained heretofore.

It will thus be seen that complete manual control of the switching mechanism is provided, or no manual interference is occasioned, the automatic switching mechanism will alternately energize the a. in. hand 3 and the p. in. hand 3' as the clock changes from an a. m. rotation to a p. rotation, and vice versa, entirely without attention on the part of the operator. Furthermore, if an inoperative period is desired, such as ate without attention on the part of the operator,

and such a control may be rendered inoperative at will. If the clock should stop and be reset, or in fact at any time, a check may be made, as explained heretofore, to ascertain definitely whether or not the proper hand corresponding to the current twelve-hour time period is being energized, and if it is not, correction can be made by means of the manual controls described. Thus a compact and emcient automatic timecontrolied circuit-closing mechanism is provided which can be conveniently associated with and driven by a twelve-hcur time-keeping mechanism, but which will control a selecting program extending over a period in excess of twelve hours in length, and up to twenty-four hours in length, so that a setting need be effected only once in a day, or the same setting may be employed from day to day Without resetting.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A time-controlled circuit selector, comprising a clock face, a double contact ring incorporating two layers of insulated radially extending contact segments surrounding said clock face, one ring layer incorporating a. rn. contact segments and the other ring layer incorporating p. m. contact segments, an a. m. time ring and a In. time ring surrounding said contact rings, each provided with a plurality of jacks, the jacks of the In. time ring corresponding to and being connected respectively to the a. in. contact ring segments, and the jacks of the p. time ring corresponding to and being connected respectively to the p. m. contact ring segments, time-keeping mechanism, a clock arbor rotated thereby at a speed of two revolutions per day, a contact arm carried by and rotatable with said arbor in engagement with said m. contact ring, a second contact arm in registry with the first contact arm carried by and rotatable with said arbor in engagement with said p. in. contact ring, and means including one of said contact arms for energizing a circuit through a selected contact ring segment and the jack connected thereto.

2. A time-controlled circuit selector, comprising a clock face, a double contact ring incorporating two layers of insulated radially extending contact segments surrounding said clock face, one ring layer incorporating a. contact segments and the other ring layer incorporating p. m. contact segments, an a. in. time ring and a p. in. time ring surrounding said contact rings, each provided with a plurality of jacks, the jacks of the a. m. time rin corresponding to and being connected respectively to the a. in. contact ring segments, and the jacks of the p. In. time ring corresponding to and being connected respectively to the p. no. contact rin segments, timekeeping mcchanism, an arbor rotated thereby at a speed of two revolutions per day, a contact arm carried by and rotatable with said arbor in engagement with said a. m. contact ring, a second contact arm in registry with the first contact arm carried by and rotatable with said arbor in engagement with said p. m. contact ring, a circuit ring encircl ng said time rings and provided with a plurality of circuit terminal jacks, plug connectors adapted for interconnection between selected circuit terminal jacks on said circuit ring and selected jacks on the a. m. and pin. time rings, and means for energizing said a. m.

and p. in, contact arms, one at a time, to complete a circuit through either an a. m. or p. m. contact ring segment, its corresponding time ring jack, and a selected circuit terminal jack connected to such time ring jack.

3. A time-controlled circuit selector, comprising time-keeping mechanism, an a. in. contact arm, a plurality of a. m. contact segments engageable by said arm, a p. in. contact arm, a plurality of p. in. contact segments engageable by said p. in. arm, an a. m. relay, a p. m. relay, a current source having one terminal adapted for connection to selected contact segments, an a. m. armature operated by said a. m. relay and a p. m. armature operated by said p. m. relay, each electrically connected to the other terminal of said current source, a connection from said a. m. armature to said a. in. contact arm including a switch closable by energization of said a. m. relay, a connection from the p. armature to said p. m. contact arm including a switch closable by energization of said p. in. relay, and means operable to control energization of said a. m. and p. m. relays, one at a time, for operation of the respective armatures, to energize the respective contact arms connected thereto.

4. The combination of claim 3, and means operable by an energized contact arm at the end of its corresponding time period to deenergize its relay to open the corresponding switch for deenergization of such arm, and further operable to energize simultaneously the other relay for energization of the other contact arm.

5. The combination of claim 8, and check means operable to indicate which of the a. m. and p. no. contact arms is energized, and manual means operable at will to energize one or the other of said contact arms and to deenergize the contact arm not energized by manipulation of said manual means.

6. A time-controlled circuit selector, comprising time-keeping mechanism, an a. in. contact arm, a plurality of a. in. contact segments engageable by said contact arm, ap. m. contact arm, a plurality of p. in. contact segments engageable by said p. m. contact arm, an a. m. hold relay, a p. m. hold relay, a current source, means operable to connect one terminal of said current source to one or more contact segments, an armature controlled by the a. m. relay and an armature controlled by the p. m. relay each electrically connected to the other terminal of said current source, a connection from the m. relay controlled armature to the a. in. contact arm including a switch closable by energization of said a. m. relay, a connection from the p. relay controlled armature to the p. m. contact arm including a switch closable by energization of said p. m. relay, an a. m. change-over contact point, engageable by said a. in. contact arm at the end of its time period, and connected in circuit with said p. m. relay to energize the same, a p. m. change-over contact point, engageable by the p. in. contact arm at the end of its time period, and connected in circuit with the a. m. relay to energize the same, and means operable to deenergize either contact arm upon energization of the other.

7. The combination of claim 6, and manual switching means operable to break the relay circuit of a changeover contact point, and further means automatically operable at a later time to energize the broken relay circuit of such changeover contact point for operation of the relay at such later time.

8. A time-controlled circuit selector, comprising a clock face, a plurality of annularly arranged a. in. contact segments encircling said clock face, a plurality of annularly arranged p. m. contact segments also encircling said clock face, time-keeping mechanism, an arbor rotated thereby at a speed of two revolutions per day, an a. in. contact arm carried by and rotatable with said arbor in engagement with said a. in. contact segments, a p. no. contact arm carried by and rotatable with said arbor in engagement with said p. in. contact segments, a plurality of annularly arranged time jacks encircling said contact segments and connected one to each of said segments, a plurality of control circuits, a plurality of control circuit jacks one for each control circuit arranged annularly about said time jacks, plug connectors for interconnection of selected time jacks with selected control circuit jacks, an a. m. hold relay, a p. m. hold relay, a current source having one terminal adapted for connection with selected control circuits, an armature controlled by said a. m. hold relay and an armature controlled by said p. m. hold relay each elec- 7 trically connected to the other terminal of said current source, a connection between the a. m. relay controlled armature and said a. m. contact arm including a switch closable by energization of said a. m. relay, a connection between said p. m. relay controlled armature and said p. m. contact arm including a switch closable by energization of said p. m. relay, circuit breaker means energizable to deenergize said a. m. hold relay, means operable by said a. in. contact arm at the end of its time period to energize said a. m. circuit breaker means, circuit breaker means energizable to deenergize said p. m. hold relay, means operable by said p. in. contact arm at the end of its time period to energize said p. m. circuit breaker means, means operable by said a. m. contact arm during energization of said a. m. circuit breaker means to energize said p. m. hold relay and simultaneously to deenergize said a. in. contact arm and a. in. circuit breaker means, and means operable by said p. m. contact arm during energization of said p. m. circuit breaker means to energize said a. m. hold relay and simultaneously to deenergize said p. in. contact arm and p. in. circuit breaker means.

9. A time-controlled circuit selector, comprising time-keeping mechanism, an a. in. contact arm, a plurality of a. m. contact segments engaged by said arm, a p. m. contact arm, a plurality of p. m. contact segments engaged by said p. m. contact arm, energizing means, and switching means operable during an a. In. time period to connect said a. m. contact arm with said energizing means, and operable during a p. m. time period to connect said p. in. contact arm with said energizing means, for completion of a circuit through the energized arm and the contact segment engaged thereby, means operable at will to interdict connection of the a. in. contact arm through its switching means, and further switch means arranged in a by-pass circuit about the interdicting means, and disposed for engagement by the a. m. contact arm to be automatically energized thus, during an a. m. time period, and thereby to energize and restore the normal a. m. connections to the a. m. contact arm.

10. A time-controlled circuit selector, comprising time-keeping mechanism, an a. m. contact arm, a plurality of a. in. contact segments engaged by said arm, a p. in. contact arm, a plurality of p. in. contact segments engaged by said p. in. contact arm, energizing means, and switching means operable during an a. In. time period to connect said a. m. contact arm with said energizing means, and operable during a p. In. time period to connect said p. m. contact arm with said energizing means, for completion of a circuit through the energized arm and the contact segment engaged thereby, an interdicting switch interposed in the circuit between the a. In. con tact arm and its switching means, operating When open to interdict connection of the a. no. contact arm with the energizing means, and a circuit paralleling the interdicting switch, and including switch means cooperating with the a. m. contact arm, at a selected time during an a. m. time period, to close the circuit between the a. In. contact arm and its normal switching means, by consequent operation of the latter to restore connection of the a. m. contact arm with the energizing means.

11. A time-controlled circuit selector, comprising a primary and a secondary contact traveler movable each through a closed regular path in a given time period, a plurality of primary contact segments and a plurality of secondary contact segments each arranged along the path of the corresponding contact traveler, for engagement by the latter of successive segments, a current source, switching means including contacts disposed in the path of and engageable by the respective contact travelers to connect the primary traveler with the current source, then to break such connection and to connect the secondary traveler with the current source, and then to break the latter connection and to reconnect the primary traveler with the current source, and so on in regular succession, in each case to complete a circuit through the corresponding contact traveler, an interdicting switch interposed in the circuit between one such traveler and the current source, operating when open to interdict connection of such traveler with the current source, and a circuit paralleling the interdicting switch, and including switch means in the path of and closable by a traveler in its movement, to close the interdicted circuit, and to restore connection of the corresponding traveler with the current source.

ARCH J. SLUYTER. 

